Patent GB-688849-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in dish washing apparatus
IPC: A47L15/06
Filed: 1950-07-12
Abstract: 688,849. Dishwashing machines. BRITISH THOMSON-HOUSTON CO., Ltd. July 12, 1950 [July 19, 1949], No. 17473/50. Addition to 681,911. Class 138 (i). In dishwashing apparatus as described and claimed in the parent Specification, an opening (preferably comprising two rows of laterally spaced-apart apertures 162, Fig. 3) is provided in a rearwardly bent marginal flange 68 of an inner body sheet 67 at the top of the door 64 for venting vapour given off by the hot washing liquid from the interior of the vat 41 into.the space between the top of the door flange and the top of the doorway flange so that the vapour may escape from the top of the front opening to the exterior when the door occupies its closed position. The door 64 is hinged within the opening of the vat in the manner described in Specification 681,912. The vat is offset within the cabinet 21 toward the right side wall 25 (see Fig. 1) thereof and is assembled therein through a rear opening 59 provided with a flange 58. The vat is secured in position by a three point support at the front and two point support at the rear. The three point support comprises a tongue 56 secured to top central portion of a rolled rim 49 of the opening of the vat and two side tongues (not shown) secured to the side portions of the rim 49. These tongues engage in slots formed in the cabinet front wall 27. The two point support comprises two brackets secured to the vat of which only one 61, Fig. 2, is shown which brackets are respectively connected by bolts to the vertical portions of the flange 58. The bottom of the cabinet 21 is provided with an opening 29 for ventilating purposes. Hot water is supplied via a solenoid operated valve 114, Fig. 2, to a sprayer 112 in the top of the vat. Water is drained from the vat by a drain mechanism consisting of a flexible hose 120, Fig. 1, which in its lower position allows the vat to drain by gravity to a waste pipe 116, Fig. 2, and which may be raised to a non-draining position by an operating member 130 actuated by an electric solenoid. An automatic cycle of operations is performed through the medium of a timer motor operable from a control knob 138. The top flange of the door 64 is formed with a depression 150, Fig. 3. Set in this depression is a vapour directing structure 152 having laterally extending louvres 156 which communicate with the interior of the vat through the openings 162. The structure also includes a front portion 154 provided with lateral grooves 154a. The structure is removably secured in the depression by screws 160, and pins 157 projecting from the portion 154 and engaging in holes in the door flange. While vapour may pass through the openings 162 and louvres 156 into a space between the top of the door opening 47 and the door, water is prevented from so doing by means of a shield 163 secured to the underside of the top door flange. The cabinet front panel 35 removably carries a laterally extending vapour director 170 disposed above the top of the cabinet opening 36. The vapour director 170 comprises a trim element 171 and a body element 172 provided with a number of metal pins 175 by which the director is secured to the panel 35 by the pins 175 passing through holes 178 therein. The element 172 includes a rearwardly extending narrow portion which passes through a centrally disposed recess 179 formed in the front panel 35 just above the opening 36. The lower surface 176 of the member 172 is provided with serrations 177. As shown in Fig. 3 the surface 176, when the door 64 is closed, overhangs the depression 150. A door handle 91 is provided on its upper surface with openings 91a. With the above arrangement vapour from the vat is directed forwardly by the structure 152 out of the top of the front opening 36 and is guided by the director 170 forwardly of the surface of the panel 35. Vapour is therefore prevented from rising gently from the top of the front opening 36 and condensing on the front edge of a supporting surface e.g. a sink or like 180, above the apparatus. The structure 152, handle 91 and director 170 are made of plastic material having a low thermal conductivity. Vapour condensing on the surface 176 is directed by serrations 177 back to the depression 150. Condensation on the top surface of the handle 91 is minimised by air rising through the openings 91a. When the door is open in a horizontal position the grooves 154a trap condensate which might otherwise fall to the floor. A pair of condensate deflecting members secured to the side flanges of the doorway 47 co-operate with condensate deflecting members on the side flanges of the door and the pairs of members engage one another when the door 64 is closed. A modified form of apparatus, Figs. 13 to 15 (not shown), utilizes an air blast arrangement to assist in venting the vat. A fan coaxial with and driven by the motor actuating the impeller of the apparatus supplies air under pressure to a conduit formed by the top of one of the vat ribs. The bottom of said rib surface is apertured so that air is supplied into the vat and causes vapour to emerge from the louvres in the vent structure. The side wall of the conduit is also apertured so that air under pressure is supplied to the space between the' top door flange and the top of the front openings. Only one wall need be apertured. If the second apertures only are utilized then vapour will be drawn through the louvres by venturi action.